BayHawks Clip Nets

Erie finished the first quarter on a 14-8 run, to take a seven-point, 27-20, lead heading into the second quarter of action. The BayHawks extended their lead early in the second, 39-25, off of a Jaylen Morris layup with 8:05 left in the half. Behind Craig Sword’s 11 first half points, Erie went into the intermission of tonight’s contest holding a 63-48 advantage. Sword (11), Raphiael Putney (10) and Jordan Mathews (10) each poured in double-digit points in the opening half.

The Nets crept their way back in the opening minutes of the second half, cutting their deficit to single-digits, 67-58, off of an Isaiah Whitehead three-pointer. Erie responded by going on a 12-8 run, to take a 79-66, lead with 4:50 left in the third quarter. After three quarters of action, the BayHawks held an 11-point, 88-77, lead. Thomas Wimbush opened the fourth quarter with a putback layup, bringing Long Island within nine. With 5:46 left in regulation, Whitehead knocked down two free throws, to come within five points of Erie, 97-92. The BayHawks were able to hold off Long Island’s comeback, finishing tonight’s game with a 114-102 win. Erie now holds a 2-1 regular season record against Long Island.

Jeremy Evans notched a double-double tonight, finishing with 12 points on 6-8 (.750) shooting from the floor, a game-high 12 rebounds, two steals and one block in 27.1 minutes. Josh Magette poured in a team-high 22 points on 7-14 (.500) shooting from the floor, a game-high nine assists and six rebounds in 34.4 minutes of play. Atlanta Hawks assignee Tyler Cavanaugh contributed 15 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 23.0 minutes as a reserve. As a team, the BayHawks outscored the Nets 68-42 (+26) in points in the paint and pulled down 53 rebounds to Long Island’s 43 (+10).

Long Island was led by Brooklyn Nets assignee Isaiah Whitehead. Whitehead poured in a game-high 36 points on 13-24 (.542) shooting from the floor, including an 8-13 (.615) clip from beyond the arc, four rebounds and one steal in 31.4 minutes of action. Kamari Murphy pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, to go along with eight points three assists and two steals in 41.2 minutes. Long Island recorded 30 fast break points to Erie’s 18 (+12).